Scared
by KHchickisentertaining
Summary: An old 'friend' of Robin's has stopped into Jump City to play with the teen heroes. But there's a reason they call him Scarecrow. Will the teens be able to stop him? Especially when two of them are seeing the world around them fall apart? Slight RobXStar.
1. Chapter 1

This is a joint story between KHchick101 and ThisisEntertaining. We each wrote a section, and then passed it back to the other. We didn't tell each other what we were planning, just let it go. Tell us what you think, we'd appreciate it!

Key:

ThisisEntertaining

_KHchick101_

Disclaimer: Neither of us own Teen Titans. Obviously. Why would we post on ?

* * *

A crystal blue bay crashed its waves against the shore of a large, sprawling city. A city often wracked with crime but also one full of joyous citizens and large, productive pizza enterprises. These citizens you may think would be in constant fear of the crime and villains that so often walked its streets, but they had little fear. After all, they were not without protection. For on an island in the bay only a few yards from shore there sat a large building in the shape of a T. It was in this oddly shaped building that the protectors lived. A group of protectors called the titans.

_These were no ordinary protectors. The Titans were super powered teenagers. That's right, teenagers. That's why the pizza businesses were thriving. The team consisted of an alien princess, a gothic psychic, a green skinned changeling, and a mecha meta man. All led by a traffic light. Okay, a kid with no superpowers, but trained by one of the worlds finest. He also held the trophy in Jump's city's break dancing competition. Oh, well, I wasn't supposed to mention that. Anyways, they we're your average kids...staying up late fighting villains. Driving with out licenses, and making notorious fashion statements. They were sort of being graded by the mayor and the Jump City Police Department. You know what? Thy weren't like any normal teens. In fact, let me tell you a story of these kids._

It all started off with a normal morning in the T, of at least as normal as it can be when you live with super powered, hormone driven, barely educated teenagers. They ran out of mustard, causing the alien to go berserk until Cyborg found a bottle in the back of the pantry. The red headed alien was so excited that she tried to insist on cooking breakfast for them all. However, no one was quite in the mood for food that would try to eat them back and the stoplight was able to distract her with her favorite fungi themed show and the robo-teen began to fix it instead. And so there was peace, at least until the greenest of the titans woke up and began to protest the "murder of innocent creatures for simply the purpose of satisfying you gullet". Otherwise known as bacon and eggs. The resulting battle lasted until lunch and the two never realized that the rest of the group had gone out to eat long before the argument stopped. The only calm one was perhaps the empath, who stared at the arguing idiots while she simply sipped her tea. However, this was as far as the normal morning went, for it was after this that the day turned from the ordinary.

_It turned into a day full of joy, full of tears, and full of horror. What's in a feeling anyway? Each of the kids had a different feeling about them. Obsessed? Ecstatic? Relieving? Diligent? Indifferent? Either way, they were all effected, but effected differently. Shall I continue rambling? No, I think not. Anyways, after their minutely strange yet normal at the same time morning. The team headed out on what sounded like a mundane chase of a burglar. The masked man sent them on a while goose chase, only to lead them to an abandoned warehouse. The doors shut behind them, and smoke came from the vents. Robin smelled it, he recognized it, and put his breathing mask on. Raven made a filter over her mouth. Cyborg was unaffected because of his missing biological components. That left Starfire and Beast Boy. They weren't fast enough_.

The noxious gas leaked through the room, Beast Boy and Starfire began to cough and gag. Two pairs of panicked green eyes gazed imploringly and fearfully at their friends as the two Titans collapsed to the floor. Starfire buried her head in her arms as Beast Boy curled up like a dog. Both of their bodies were warped with spasms as the world began to shift and warp in front of their eyes. A manic laughter sounded as a form with the look of a scarecrow appeared amid the boxes.

"Why hello Robin. Its been so long since you've been in Gotham. I decided to come and visit you and your little pals. Lets see if the little kiddies here in Jump has what it takes to battle the Sca-"

"ROAR!"

The straw villain was cut off as a horrible roar sounded below. He looked down in surprise to see a monster amid the teens he had gassed. A monster the same color green as one of the titans had been. The eyes of the creature were full of fear and an animistic panicked anger as he lashed out at anything and everything. The changelings control destroyed by his fear. Behind his burlap mask the man smiled.

"Well, I'd stay and chat but it seems you have to control your little friends, ta ta."

Cyborg ad Raven attempted to calm Beast Boy down, or at least contain him, but Robin had eyes only for the prone Starfire.

_Starfire had tears running down her cheeks as she clung to Robin. He was just thankful she still saw him._

_"Robin! What have they done to you?!" She wiped her hand across his face and pressed hard against his chest. He figured she was imagining him bloody and beaten. She kissed his forehead. "We will get you medical attention!"_

_Her green friend let out another roar and scarecrow laughed as he left._

_"The Gordanians! Why have they come?! And at such a time!"_

_"Starfire, you need to listen to me." He spoke firmly._

_"Please do not speak, save your strength!"_

_Robin turned to his teammates, "TitansTower, get him secured!" Was all he got out before Starfire took off. He held on tight, not being used to being carried the way he was. He knew what the effects were, he knew how to help, but he had to get her to calm down enough so she would listen to him._

"Well duh," Raven muttered at the leaders retreating figure as she wrapped another tendril of dark energy around the struggling and terrified Beast Boy. Cyborg found some highly strong chains in the corner of the warehouse and was trying to contain Beast Boy with them while the cloaked Titan held him as still as she could. Beast Boy roared once more, but terror was evident in his call. Beads of perspiration appeared on the girls forehead as the green Beast's struggles increased when the chain brushed against his skin.

One of his arms burst out, nearly clipping the robotic teen trying to tie him up. Cyborg cursed as he jumped out of the way.

"Dang girl, keep him steady. BB's going crazy."

"I'm trying!" Raven spit out, covering the creature once more.

"Try talking to him, he was calmer around you last time he was like this."

"It won't do any good." The empath spit out as she attempted to concentrate on holding her friend still. "Whatever that was, it completely messed with his mind. I can't even get near his mind with my powers. I don't even think he can hear us, or understand us."

Cyborg grunted and focused on fixing the chains around the Beast, his heart throbbing with pain as he bound his best friend. Finally it was done, the Beast was contained. Raven lowered her hands and released her powers. Beast Boy continued to fight and struggle. Raven looked at the squirming creature attempting to escape and sighed in her exhaustion.

"Now we just have to get him back to the tower." Cyborg muttered. Raven simply groaned as Beast Boy let out another fear-filled roar.

_Up in the air, Robin pulled out his communicator. "This is Robin, can you guys talk?"_

_Raven answered. "Yeah, Beast Boy is contained. You want to explain what the heck is going on?"_

_"The gas that was spraying in the warehouse is from an old...friend of mine. It's fear gas. After the initial panic attack, the serum will leave the victim weak. This stuff doesn't wear off. Batman has the antidote and I will be calling him as soon as I can. If they don't get the antidote...well, let's just hope that doesn't happen."_

_"Then what are we supposed to do?!"_

_"Calm him down; get him back to his human form. I have to go." He hung up right when he saw her eyes starting to droop and a loss of altitude. The weakness was already starting to kick in for her. He panicked as the ground came close, very fast. Against his better judgment, he slapped her. She blinked a few times and raised back into the air. Hopefully, he could keep her awake long enough to get to the tower._

_For Starfire, things looked bleak. She held her bloodied best friend as she maneuvered through the destroyed, desolate city. She pressed forward, her optimism was the only thing that kept her going. So Robin's skull was cracked, and one of his arms was gone, he could at least still survive. Thankfully, she had escaped the Gordanians that had been following. The thing that worried her the most was the mumbles of gibberish that were coming from his mouth. He had to hold on. He just had to._

Raven snapped the communicator shut and turned to Cyborg. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, but how are we gonna get BB to go back to being human? I don't think he could even fit in the car in this form. Do you think that you can just transport him to the tower and I can follow you guys in the T-car. At least then we can keep him in one of the holding cells we have there and make sure he doesn't escape or hurt himself."

"I can't teleport the two of us after all of that. I don't think I could even transport just myself."

The robotic Titan sighed. "Well then, what are we gonna do?"

"I don't know." Raven closed her eyes to focus her mental powers. "I've been trying to get a good read on his mind but it's hard. He's too terrified for me to get a coherent thought right now. His thoughts are really... animistic right now. It's more focused on his senses and instincts than any real thoughts. But...I don't know. I think he's weakening."

The Beast had started whimpering slightly. It's steely anger and fear-filled eyes were filling more of the latter and shifted uneasily as he flailed in his fear. When the gas first entered his system he was strong, powerful, and full of adrenalin. His mind was that of a predator. Like a lion or wolf who was facing a fearsome foe. It led him to more fight then flight.

Now however the poison had worked its way into his system, and he was weakening. His mind was no longer centered on fighting; no longer could anger affect his fear. His whimpering increased. Suddenly Raven's eyes shot open. "Cyborg, grab him!"

Without question the robotic teen leaped for his green friend. He was too late. The green boy had shifted into the form of a rabbit and had already fled deep into the warehouse, his rodent eyes searching desperately for a small dark hole he could burrow and hide in. Raven and Cyborg had no time to relax and could only stare in horror as their small, shape shifting friend fled into the large, maze like warehouse.

_Robin's luck had run out. He laid on his back, Starfire's trembling form curled up on top of him. They were behind a dumpster in a dark alley. "Starfire." He patted her face. "Can you hear me?"_

_Her eyes blinked open, tears forming. "I am sorry Robin...I do not know...I tried...I am just so weak..." She cried._

_"Starfire, it's alright. Listen to me." She clutched his shirt. "I'm not injured."_

_"You must have lost too much blood."_

_"No, the smoke that you breathed, it's a poison. It messes with your mind. The things that you're seeing, it's not real."_

_"But your arm..." She whimpered._

_"Can you feel this?" he touched her face with both hands and her eyes widened. "Things are not as they seem."_

_"I'm scared." she confessed. "What of our friends?!"_

_"Beast Boy is the only other one affected."_

_"Well, despite my impaired judgment, should we not go help them?"_

_"No! I mean, we really need to get back to the tower. The poison...it um...doesn't wear off."_

_"Beast Boy will need to get back to the tower as well."_

_"Yeah...but in an few hours...you'll...um..."_

_"What?"_

_"You'll fall asleep, and never wake up."_

_"Let us go home." She clung to his neck as he tugged her up on his back. "But can when please hurry. The large yerkle running at us is making me uneasy."_

"How the heck are we supposed to find the grass stain in this place? He could be anything, a mouse, a cat, even bugs. And he's not thinking straight. My little buddy could be stuck in a spider web right now and we'd never know. He could be eaten!"

"Cyborg, shut up. If you scare him we'll never find him."

"He's already scared Raven. He had enhanced senses. Its not like we can sneak up on him." The cyborg sighed. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about him running off. Most of this building is locked tight still from Scarecrow. We'll just have to start looking through boxes."

"It's not likely that the guy covered up all of the mouse holes and stuff. We have to find him before he ends up loose in the city. If he's just getting weaker and weaker, then he'll soon lose his ability to shift and end up unconscious in human form in the city somewhere. We have to find him before he escapes. Start looking in the boxes over there."

The empath attempted to reach her green friend, but his mind was much more animal than human and the pale titan could not distinguish his thoughts from the true animals inhabiting the warehouse. She used her dark energy to cover a pile of boxes and slowly shifted through them. Suddenly she jumped back with a shriek as a green mouse leaped at her from the pile. Several boxes shattered as it ran away.

"Cyborg!" She shouted, but he'd heard her first scream and already stood ready, a large cardboard box in his hands. The mouse attempted to skirt around and avoid the rapidly falling cardboard cage, but Cyborg was too quick and the already terrified mouse was trapped.

"We got him!" Cyborg yelled in triumph. Raven held her head in her hands as the torrents of the green Titan's fear coursed through her, and she could only wonder if they should truly be so happy about trapping him.

_The leader of the titans walked through the city, the people on the sidewalks staring at them. He could feel Starfire trembling as she hid her face between his shoulder blades._

_"I do not like the things they are saying." She whispered._

_"What? But, no one's saying anything..."_

_"Be quiet! Please leave me alone!" She shouted._

_"Starfire! Yelling in my ear is not going to help! Please." the walk continued as the two were silent. Starfire's tears fell onto his back._

_"I am cold..." She whispered. Taking the hint, he set her down and draped his cape over her, then picked her back up._

_"Better?"_

_She nodded against him. This was taking too long, and he was concerned. He pulled her legs around his waist so that she wouldn't fall. He took out his communicator again a set in a special number._

_A man with a dark face answered. "It's been awhile."_

_"No time, Scarecrow is in Jump. Two of my teammates are down, and I need an antidote."_

_The man's face became very grave. "Where is Scarecrow now?"_

_"I don't know. He got away."_

_"You let him get away!?"_

_"It's not like I had a choice. It was dangerous enough with the two that were poisoned. Cyborg and Raven are watching over Beast Boy. I've got Starfire."_

_"You know you had to go after Scarecrow..."_

_"Look Bruce." He growled menacingly. "Get here with the antidote as fast as you can, and I'll let you go after Crane. Got it?"_

_The mentor looked at his young ward in surprise. "I see. I'll make up a batch and be there as soon as possible. I can't guarantee-..."_

_"Just hurry." He barked as he hung up._


	2. Chapter 2

After hanging up on his mentor the teen wonder quickly tried to communicate the other members of his team. "Raven!" He called as the dark girl's face appeared on the screen. "Status report."

"We just caught Beast Boy. We're looking for a way to keep him contained until we can get to the tower."

"What? You said that you had him contained earlier. What have you been doing all of this time?"

"He shifted from the Beast to a rabbit and ran into the warehouse to hide. We found him as a mouse and trapped him in a box but he keeps on chewing through them. We already went through five layers of cardboard. Cyborg is looking for something more durable."

"Try talking to him, its working a little with Starfire."

"I have. It won't work. He's practically all animal right now. He's thinking even less than normal. I think that the only way he'll turn back into human form-" Suddenly there was the thump of a cardboard box against the floor and a terrified mousy squeak. "Sorry. He'll only turn back into human form if he is weakened to the point that he is unable to shift."

Robin frowned as Starfire began to mumble and shifted on his back. "Fine, just-"

"Hey Raven, I found some pet store supplies in the back of the warehouse. I grabbed a few rodent cages. Man, this place has everything."

"Good. We'll be back to the Tower in just a few minutes." She said, speaking to the communicator once more. Robin nodded.

"Hurry." He snapped the communicator shut.

In the warehouse Raven sighed. Beast Boy had already managed to nearly chew a hole big enough to escape. She gently wrapped some of her magic around the scared rodent, not that her care did anything to ease the poor animal's fears. Cyborg came around the corner hauling a huge crate of gerbil care supplies. "I wasn't sure what to bring, so I grabbed the whole thing."

Raven looked over and saw a clear glass box sticking up near the top of the crate. She nodded to it. "Hand me that glass one. See if you can find bedding and those tunnel things to put in it. He'll probably want a place to hide."

"Right." Cyborg said, handing her the glass cage as he rummaged through the crate, coming up moments later with a bag of sawdust and something resembling a plastic toilet paper tube. "Found it!"

"Good," Raven said, sounding disgusted. "Because I think he just peed in my aura."

_Soon after Raven had hung up, Starfire let out a terrified shriek, her fingers curling around his neck, making him choke. _

_"St-Star..." He huffed out. He pried star's hands away and set her down in another alley. "Stop it Starfire! None of this is real! You have to fight it!" _

_She screamed again, cowering away for him. _

_"STARFIRE!" He shouted. _

_"Where is Robin?! What have you done with him?" _

_His heart sank, she no longer saw him as himself. "Who am I?" He asked. _

_"Please Slade...let me go...no...you..." She let out another scream as she jumped to her feet and took off running. Robin didn't understand. Was she seeing Slade or not? He followed closely after her. _

_"Star wait! You're too weak!" _

_As if on cue, Starfire tripped and slid across the ground. He approached her carefully. "You lied to me..." She whimpered. "You said you would never become like him...but you lied...Robin, you are Slade." She looked up at him with fear stricken, disappointed eyes. "Please...kill me now."_

Meanwhile, back by the warehouse Raven was sliding into the T-car, the glass hamster cage clutched protectively in her lap. The moment Beast Boy had been placed in the container he'd bolted straight for the plastic hiding tube, kicking up sawdust and burying himself in the flaky tan material. By the time that Cyborg started his "baby" the only evidence that the changeling was in the container at all was the extreme aura of panic and fear that Raven could sense coming from the terrified boy.

Cyborg looked over at the seemingly empty cage, trusting his friend to know that his little buddy still remained. "Wonder what he's thinking about down there." The robot said absentmindedly.

Raven closed her eyes. "Absolutely nothing." And it was true. There were no words in the boy's mind, no coherent thoughts. She emerged herself into his mind, wincing as his fear became even more intense. "And that may be something of a blessing."

She said nothing as she attempted to remain in the creature's strange, simple mind. It was almost... fascinating. Beast Boy had become almost completely animal. She saw visions of hiding in holes, running in fear, knowing that God had not equipped you with the tools to beat your pursuers and that your only hope was to flee, to escape. She had a vision, a memory of the green mouse, of two creatures impossibly large and threatening. They lunged for him, a fearsome figure of dark blue, gray, and purple while an even larger blue and silver foe attacked with a large brown claw cupping around him. It trapped the green boy in a cage of darkness, he was still in their grasp and had no clue what horrors lay ahead.

He was prey and he had been caught. He was as good as dead. He could only hope that the predators who had chased him down felt no desire to play with their prey. That they would no longer prolong his agony and instead give him a quick death. The empath felt a pang of pity as she realized that this was how he saw their attempt to catch him.

She shook her head, drawing her mind away from the fears of the animal world, the flashes of teeth and claws that plagued the animal's mind. Suddenly the car lurched to the side as a large crash sounded. Raven cursed and looked up to see Cinderblock standing only feet away, pieces of buildings held in each of his concrete hands.

"Oh no." Cyborg said as his communicator beeped. He opened it slowly, looking with a dreading resignation at the masked face of his leader.

"Titans trouble." The leader said with a angry grunt. Raven looked down to the glass cage in her hands as Starfire's terrified face showed in the tiny screen. This was not good.

_Robin and Starfire came up on the scene. He set her down on the cement. _

_"I have to fight. If you can find the strength, please help us." He spoke tenderly. "Don't worry about me either, it's just Cinderblock. Okay?"_

_"I..." She looked up at the two tone mask that hid away the face of her best friend. Then she looked ahead at the villain. "I am afraid I do not have the strength." _

_"Okay, then I have another job for you. Wait here." Robin ran over to the other titans. "Star's going to watch BB. Hand him over."_

_Raven looked down at the burrowed mass. "Be careful with him."_

_Robin nodded. _

_Cinderblock did not like that he was being ignored. He lifted a large chunk of cement, only to have it blasted out of his hands by a blue beam. He roared in anger._

_"That's right rock head! Keep your eyes on me!" Cyborg shouted._

_Robin took the opportunity to volt over to Star. She handed her the glass box. "Beast Boy is in this container. He's in the same state that you are, so keep him safe. Okay?"_

_Starfire looked up at him in bewilderment. "You can't be Slade...you are too kind."_

_His mask melted off his face. Along with half of his skin, revealing his skull. "I could never be him."_

_Starfire quickly turned away, unable to look at him. Her eyes watered and her lips quivered._

_Robin turned his attention to the rampant block head. "Titans, Go!"_

Starfire clutched the glass cage tightly to her chest, her weakness and emotional turmoil making her grip weak. Was friend Beast Boy truly in this small clear box? Did he truly suffer from the intense fear that she felt as well? She looked up to where Robin? Slade? Not Slade? Fought with a horrible monster. She squeaked and jumped back as the disfigured face turned to her. A slight terrified squeak sounded in the cage as it was jarred and a flurry of sawdust spilled out as Beast Boy attempted to bury himself deeper in his stronghold.

The small green mouse felt his heart nearly stop in fear as his hiding spot was shook. Predators were coming. They were going to kill him. He was going to die. He was helpless, a prey cornered. He nestled as deeply as he could, begging in his simple mouse mind that the flimsy saw dust barricade would keep his pursuers at bay. His heartbeat slowed only slightly when the cage stopped moving.

The mouse was nearly as confused as he was afraid. He was weakening. His mind was becoming more and more human as his grip on the rodent form began to slip. Human fears and terrifying memories slipped in with his natural animal instincts. One moment he was cowering from invisible predators such as cats and wolves, and the next he was seeing visions of Adonis the werebeast, Slade, and the Brain waiting for him to leave his hidey-hole. Then he would have a vision of a fox crouched in front of his home. Human and animal merged constantly, each moment leaning more towards human than the time before. A horrible roar sounded from Cinderblock, leaving the boy to squeak fearfully.

Cinderblock's roar had been one of anger as a blast from Raven cut deeply into him. Cyborg glared as he charged up his Canon. "You picked the wrong day to do this. I am not I the mood."

Robin and Raven both called out, voicing their agreement. They made quick work on the villain, anger and worry for their friends enhancing their resolve. Finally the three remaining Titans stood over the bound remains of Cinderblock as the two others sat cowering on the cement. The fight had lasted only moments, but the titans could only fear the time that had been stolen by the criminal. They didn't know if his friends could afford it.

_The team looked over to their friends. Robin felt his heart palpitate at the sad sight. Starfire clutched the box to her chest, her hair falling in front of her like a curtain to block out the world, her knees up to shield her fears. _

_"Star, it's over now, let's go home." _

_She shuddered. "How can I trust you?" She sobbed. _

_He sighed. "Raven, she doesn't see me as Robin anymore. Can you try to talk to her?" _

_The empath connected with the alien's frazzled mind. "The man in front of you is your friend, Robin. Do not be afraid. We want to go home and get you cured." _

_"Raven, I'm so weak..." She emulated. _

_"He'll carry you to the car. Keep your eyes shut and you'll be fine." Raven came out of her trance. "She's going to let you carry her. She's really weak, but she's going to keep her eyes shut and she should be okay. I'm glad I connect with her at least." _

_Robin thanked her and went over to Star. He frowned as he saw her shaking. He pulled her up. _

_"I never thought that I would carry two titans at the same time." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. Star replied with a hum. That was good enough for him. _

_He placed her in the back seat of the car. Raven sat next to her and Robin sat shot gun, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. _

_The ride was quiet. Starfire kept her eyes closed and the others didn't want to spook her. Robin had the bright idea of turning on the radio. _

_"And now the popular Neapolitan ballad "Santa Lucia," performed by Robertino Loretti..." The announcer spoke. A soft string and wind melody began as a young but rich Italian soprano filled the air. _

_Raven looked in surprise as she felt the two relax. "Good idea, the music seems to sooth them." She whispered. _

_"Of course, Italian opera puts everyone to sleep." _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Even amidst their great fear, the soothing melody and child's voice helped to relax the two terrified Titans, if only slightly. Luckily there was no more incident as they drove to their home. Cyborg was driving into the garage when he spoke, the first noise made since they had defeated their cement foe.

"Rob, you said you called Batman for the antidote tight? Any clue when he'll be here?"

"I'm not sure. It's a long way from Gotham. He should be here in an hour or two, if not sooner."

"Is he going to be in time?"

Robin looked back to the weak and afraid Starfire and the seemingly empty cage she held. "I hope so. Raven, are you sure Beast Boy is in there?"

The empath nodded, her eyes tired. "Yes, I can sense him. He is growing weak just as Starfire is, and his mind is very confused."

Robin said nothing, but a miniscule tightening of his features gave proof of his worry. Finally they got out of the car. Raven took the glass cage from Starfire as Robin picked her up, the girl's eyes still tightly shut. The alien whimpered as the hands encompassed her and Robin attempted to sooth her with calming murmurs. The Titans began to carry their prone friends into the medical wing, only for Raven to stop dead still in the hallway, a look of horror on her face.

Suddenly she dropped the glass black, black magic encompassing it as she used her powers to completely tear the cage and the tube in it apart.

"Raven what are you doing?" Cyborg called out in shock. Robin opened his mouth to cry out to his teammate as well, only to stop when Beast Boy's mouse form slipped, revealing a semi-conscious green teen. Raven looked down to the boy in something akin to horror before schooling her features.

"He's too weak to keep him animal form and he was too afraid to leave his place of hiding. If I hadn't destroyed the cage and tube, it could have suffocated him."

Cyborg looked sympathetically at his green buddy. "BB..." He said softly. Robin's face tightened. If he was too weak to keep an animal form, then it wouldn't be too long until he lost consciousness completely and then... He shook his head to push the thoughts out of his mind and continued to carry Star to the medical wing. After a moment of silence Cyborg picked up Beast Boy's small form and followed. The green boy yelled slightly in fear and began to struggle, but Cy simply held him closer to his chest as the teen attempted to escape.

_Raven winced as she read his panicked, human mind but said nothing as she followed. Now they could only wait._

_Raven opened the door to the medical wing and what awaited them when they turned on the light scared all of them. _

_A man, completely encompassed in black stood in the middle of the room. "What took you so long?" He asked in his deep gravelly voice._

_Robin hid his slight irritation. "We were delayed by a road block." He said simply as he set Starfire down on the table. She scooted away from the company and held her knees to her chest. _

_Cyborg set his buddy on the other bed, a pulled a blanket up to keep him warm. _

_"You brought the stuff?" Robin asked his mentor._

_Batman held a syringe. "Of course." He approached the trembling girl first. "Hold out your arm." He commanded._

_With her eyes set tight, she hesitantly put her arm out. He grabbed her wrist. _

_Starfire's eyes shot open at his icy touch and she stared in shock. "PSION!" She screamed. Her hand whipped away from the dark knight, as she attempted to get away. Sadly, she couldn't run very far._

_"Robin, hold her down."_

_He nodded hesitantly and crawled on the bed, straddling her waist and pinning her arms at her sides._

_All Starfire heard was "Hold her down." She began thrashing and kicking. Even in her weak state, her alien strength made her as strong as an average human. Robin had a hard time holding on._

_"Get away! Do not touch me! I know what you shall do! And you will not get away with it!"_

_"Starfire! It's me, Robin! You're friend! We're trying to give you the antidote!"_

_"You cannot be him! He is dead!"_

_Ouch. "But I am Robin. I'm right here, Star!"_

_"No, no, no...Do not lie to me...stop..." Her struggle and words were slowing down at an extreme rate. They had to do this fast. _

_With no other choice, Robin leaned in and kissed her. It shocked her and she was still long enough for Batman to administer the drug. Slowly, her fear-filled eyes cleared. "Robin..." She smiled. Her eyes closed as she fell asleep._

_"Quick thinking. Don't worry, the drug just exhausted her. She'll be fine." Batman turned to Beast Boy. "And now for the other."_

The dark figure glided across the room. Beast Boy lay in a semi-conscious state, occasionally moving or mumbling something fearfully. At times his muscles tensed as though he was shifting, but his body remained in its human state. He gave no indication that he saw anyone in the room, much less the esteemed dark night. This worried Cyborg more than he'd like to admit. He remembered how geeked out his little buddy had been when he first met Robin. The green bean's prone figure lying on a bed was not in any way how he expected Beast Boy's first time meeting with the hero to go.

Batman held up a small syringe similar to the one used on Starfire as he neared the green boy, and both Cyborg and Raven stiffened. Even in a normal stare of mind the boy was deathly afraid of needles. Robin had to use knock-out gas whenever they had to get shots; it was the only way they could get the boy to stay still.

Before the boy could see the needle, the two titans nearest to the boy quickly worked to secure restraints around the green teen, strapping him against the bed. They paused and Cyborg had to hold the boy down as he reacted violently against the leather straps. Raven used her powers to clasp many at once, but the boy only fought more and more as the straps tightened against his skin. His eyes were wide and unseeing and his fearful mumblings turned to real words, sharp and pained. "No... no collar... not animal... no collar..."

There was no restraint around his neck, but the very feeling of the leather straps held tightly against his skin was enough to wake the bitter fear in his mind. The Titan's stiffened at his words, but Robin was the first to recover.

"Do it quickly, before he sees the needle. That would just make things much worse."

The man moved quickly, but Beast Boy's ears had perked at the dreaded word needle and his eyes immediately locked onto the strange man nearest to him. "NO!" The boy shouted, with a force so contrary to his weakened state that it caused even the shadowy hero to pause. The hesitation lasted only a moment before the man made the motion to move again, but he stopped short at the boy cried out in pain to a figure induced only by his fear ridden mind.

"Daddy, no! I-I don't want the shot. Don't want it. 'm not tha sick. Don't want the shot. It'll make me green. Don't wanna be green. Please Daddy, don want the shot. The shot hurts, Daddy. Rather be sick. Dun want the shot, dun wanna be green."

Batman narrowed his eyes and stepped forward again, about to administer the saving drug when the boy let out a wordless, high-pitched squeal of terror. "No Daddy! You die! The shot, then green, the boat. Don't get in the boat Daddy! You die in the boat but I don't cause I'm green. Please Daddy, not the shot. You n' Mommy die."

"Just do it!" Raven hissed, and the Dark Knight struck. Beast Boy screamed as the medicine entered his body.

"No! Daddy, you die! Don wan da shot, don wanna... green... Mommy, Daddy... no boat..." Beast Boy continued to struggle and mumble until he finally lost the battle to stay awake and fell into a deep sleep. The room stood for a moment in a silent, tense moment, recent events creating an impossibly heavy atmosphere in the room. Finally, as one the group sighed in relief, ending the moment.

_"Well, if that's it, I'll wait outside. Tell me the results after they wake up." Batman turned and left the room. _

_The others still stood in hardened silence. It was too much. They felt the immense pain they inflicted on their friends, and it hurt. _

_"We did what was necessary..." Raven stated, even her voice was shaky. _

_"Doesn't mean we have to like it." Cyborg countered. _

_"Or be proud of it." Robin added. He sat on Star's bed, next to the sleeping girl. His hand came up and cupped his mouth. He couldn't help but feel like he had taken advantage of her. _

_"It really was quick thinking Robin. She'll understand." _

_He gave a weak smile. "I just wonder what she saw. I mean, she thought batman was a Psion...if I was the one who was poisoned, and she had kissed me to hold me still, I would only imagine her as my worst fear." _

_"Slade or Kitten?" _

_Robin gave a feeble laugh, "and I don't know which one would be worse." _

_Cyborg thought for a moment. "Just kiss her when she wakes up. That way, she'll know it was you." _

_"Right now, I'm just hoping she will forget what happened." He looked over to his green friend. "Both of them for that matter." _

The other two Titans nodded in agreement, glancing between the two unconscious teens. Suddenly Raven groaned and fell into a chair beside one of the beds. She held her head lightly in her hands and one of the unused beds crackled and broke with black energy.

"I'll need to meditate for hours after this." She said tiredly, and Robin and Cyborg winced in sympathy.

"Sorry about that Rae, how's your head feeling?" Cyborg asked, his eyes never leaving his little green friend.

"Its been better," She mumbled. Robin looked down to her than back to the bed.

"I'm impressed that you were able to keep control of your powers so well through all that. After all, there must have been a lot of negative emotions running around."

"I was too busy to lose control. Best Boy might not have made it if I had been anything but my best."

Cyborg nodded. "You wouldn't believe how slippery the little guy can be when he wants; I can only imagine what it was like with Star."

Robin nodded, returning his gaze to the sleeping redhead's face as the memories rolled around in his mind. "It wasn't pretty." Suddenly he shook himself, immediately shedding the form of a worried teenager as he took up his mantle as leader. He straightened and looked to the door.

"Scarecrow is still on the loose. Batman thinks we should go after him now, and I agree that I want him behind bars for this, but I don't want to leave these guys alone. I'm not sure how wise it would be to wait until they woke up, either."

Raven nodded. "I won't be of much help now; my powers are exhausted and unstable. However if something happened or if their bodies weren't reacting correctly to the drug, I wouldn't know what to do and there is no promise that any of you could get back on time."

Cyborg looked down to Beast Boy and Starfire, then to the door. "Maybe you should get him back in here so we can talk about what we are going to do."

Robin nodded and left the room with a flourish to go get his mentor.

_Robin entered the ops room to see half-Batman half-Bruce Wayne typing away at one of the computers. _

_"You trust us enough to take your cowl off?" Robin asked a bit bewildered._

_"I've learned my lesson about putting faith in teammates. I'm sorry." The older man looked over his shoulder. "Besides, I knew you'd be the one to come get me."_

_Robin rolled his eyes, "Of course."_

_"They aren't awake yet." The dark knight spoke._

_"No, but we turning our attention to the manic who did this...and wanting to make sure no one else is hit with his toxin."_

_"Working with Crane before, there are certain things I've noticed."_

_"Like his all or nothing mentality with the general public?"_

_Bruce huffed, somewhat forgetting that his protégé had dealt with Scarecrow just as much. "And the kicks he gets from poisoning heroes, and only heroes."_

_"So, you're looking for something that would leak the toxin into the public, so you can stop it."_

_"No."_

_Robin was baffled._

_"I'm looking for a way for you to stop it." He smirked. "He may be my villain, but this is your town."_

_Robin looked grateful, and then serious. "Thanks, but two of our comrades out cold, and one is having a hard time control her powers after looking into their minds."_

_Batman nodded. "So...just like old times...plus one."_

_Robin grinned. "Beast Boy's going to be so jealous."_

_The duo walked back to the med lab. Cyborg was checking the vitals of the two incapacitated teens. Luckily, they were slowly rising back to normal. Raven sat in a chair and mediated as well as she could. The door opened and they stopped what they were doing._

_"We're going to go get Scarecrow. Cy, you're with us." Robin stated._

_"No." He stately firmly, resisting the erge of working with the Dark Knight himself._

_"No?"_

_"Like Raven said before, I need to be here in case something goes wrong."_

_Robin scratched his neck sheepishly, he had forgotten that part. "Right then..."_

_"Go, we'll hold down the fort." _

_Batman and Robin looked at each other. "This will be like old times." Batman smirked._

_"Holy flashback Batman." Robin droned. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Thisisentertaining and I like reviews. :)_

The smirk turned to a dry smile at the boy's words, and then his face turned deadly serious. "Let's hurry. You know this town better than I do, where is he most likely to attack next?"

Robin thought for a moment. "He would pick the place where he could take out as many people as possible at once. There aren't any special events taking place that I can think of, and there aren't any places with several regulars. The only place I can think of that has steady business is the Pizza shop..."

The two froze as realization dawned. The Titans often frequented the pizza shop, if Scarecrow was planning to attack there, then he would need to get the Titans out of the way first... which was exactly what he'd done. The dynamic duo rushed out the door, their eyes set on the very place they instinctively knew that Crane would strike next. They worked with the perfect unity and clarity that can only come from years of working together in life or death situations. The duo had a synchronicity unseen in the Titans, something that would surely come in time to the young group, but that the man and sidekick had been perfecting for years.

The two expertly entered the restaurant and immediately honed in on the villain moments away from his dastardly deed. The man called out some witty villain remark but the two heroes just grinned. Just like old times.

This scene was displayed on a monitor. One perhaps miles away and perhaps only feet. A horrendous man, as scary and villainous as they come, sat staring at the monitor. He'd been curious to see how the Titans would react to Crane's gas and two of the Titans being put out of commission. He was surprised to see that two of the group had stayed behind to help the two recovering Titans. HE almost expected to leave them alone and vulnerable. It would have made getting rid of the group so much simpler. Oh well, divide and conquer worked too. A low laughing started as the man watched the duo on the screen.

_The man's laughter started to drown out as he realized what was happening. Both Robin and Batman had on gas masks and were immune to the fear gas. Scarecrow had nothing else up his sleeve, not thinking that the God Damn Batman would show up to help. He took off in an attempt to escape. _

_That wasn't happening, so Bats drew a grappling hook and hooked Crane's feet. He fell with a thud to the floor._

_"Well, that was oddly simple..."_

_"You're right, Robin. There has to be a catch."_

_"You want a catch?" A voice spoke from the speaker. "I'll give you a catch!"_

_Behind the monitor in a far off room, a button was pushed, indicating a signal. Eerie laughter erupted through the room. The swinging kitchen doors swung up from a mini explosion of colored smoke and confetti. Batman narrowed his eyes. _

_"Jingle Bells...Batman smells...Robin laid an egg..." The voice who was laughing began to sing. "Batmobile lost a wheel..." His sickening white face and flesh ripping smile appeared. His red eyes danced jovially. "...AND JOKER GOT AWAY!" He burst into another round of laughter._

_The Dark Knight and his young ward both sneered. _

_"So you're behind this? I didn't think you were low enough to ask for help to scare people."_

_"Scare? No! I want to make the world laugh! Laugh so hard they split their sides! But No, I'm not running this little gig, it's not my style. But my...employer made a very interesting case. What happens when fear gas and my laughing gas are put together?!"_

_Batman clenched his fists._

_"Ah. Ah. Ah! I found the perfect specimen of testing!" _

_Some men dressed like clowns dragged out two teenagers. One green skinned, on with fiery red hair._

_"No..." Robin whispered._

_"OH YES!" The Joker chortled. "And you want to know the best part?! You're so called antidote you gave them is the agent! Scarecrow gave them a different gas, one that has my laughing jovial hoo-ha in it, but in a dormant state. The antidote activated it!" He held his stomach as the man hooted and hollered. "You're the one who poisoned them!"_

_"Where are the others?!" Robin screeched. _

_"Tut tut, you'll worry your little birdie head off! Now those other two aren't affected, and were...a pain in the arse. So we...took care of them."_

_Robin's jaw went slack. This wasn't happening!_

_Starfire stirred. _

_"Oh my! I think she's waking up!"_

_Her head snapped up, a painful smile broke out on her features. Tears ran down her cheeks. As soon as she spotted Robin, she let out a tremendous guffaw, practically shaking the windows._

_"Aw! Doesn't she have the most wonderful laugh?!"_

_Robin bit back his emotions then came to a horrible realization. Beast Boy would wake up at any moment. Things were about to get very very messy._

Suddenly a low chuckling sounded, starting off softly until it became an uproarious hysteric laughter. Beast Boy's head rose and Robin heart sunk into his stomach as he saw the wide, impish grin so often on Beast Boy's face stretched to the max. The changeling continued to laugh uproariously, his eyes looking horrified and trapped.

The Joker's laughter soon joined that of the two terrified and pained teens. "My oh my! Such wonderful laughs! Look how spirited they are! Ohh, I have something that'll just drive you batty!" The crazed clown cried, dissolving into a fit of chuckles. Robin winced at the joke, knowing that if Beast Boy were in his right mind he would have joined the Joker in laughing at it. In fact, he may have said it first. Joker finished his laughter and continued. "There was just enough of the actual antidote to give them their strength back! That's right; they are at 100 percent power, hopped up on laughter and fear! Let's see how this works out shall we."

Robin went pale. He whirled on his mentor. "Quick, we have to detain Beast Boy, now! Top priority!"

He jumped down, the Dark Knight following him, though confusion sat under his cowl. "Did you just say that top priority was detaining your own teammate? Rather than going after the Joker?"

Robin simply scowled as he ran to the green teen still in the clown's grasp. The man behind the clown mask was just as surprised as Batman that the Boy Wonder chose to attack him first. Scarecrow was the only other one who knew why the teen was so worried. However, the traffic light didn't make it in time. The man in the clown mask dropped the boy and stepped back as the green flesh and bones shifted and morphed in his grasp.

Soon the green teenager was no longer there, an olive Hyena taking his place. The hysterics continued in the creatures well known barking laughter, but lasted only a moment. A particularly loud guffaw choked up his through, seeming to force him out of the form, and landing him in that of a sheep, where sporadic baas sounded. However just like the hyena that form lasted only a moment before he was a snake, writhing on the floor as though in pain. His forms shifted so rapidly and drastically that the dynamic duo had no hope to catch the green boy.

Joker and Scarecrow watched with a horrific interest, as did the man behind the screen. "Incredible!" The Joker said between giggles, "and that's just my part. The fear hasn't kicked in yet, though it should any minute-"

Starfire let out a horrible, shrill screech of absolute terror.

"Now!" Suddenly Starfire began thrashing in the guard's arms, crying out in violent Tamaranian in between horrible laughs and chuckles. Beast Boy suddenly froze, a horrible grin present between his tarantula fangs. His body morphed once more as Starfire freed herself from the clown man. The green child's getting larger, stronger, and more powerful.

"Not again," Robin whispered, while Joker, the clowns, the men on the monitors, and Batman looked to the growing creature in horror as Star's laughs sent her careening across the room.

"BwahahaROARRRRhahahahahahaha ROARRRRRRRhaha!" The Beast was back, and his face was twisted into a sick grin, his fangs protruding through.

_"No...No...no...NO! DANG IT BEAST BOY!" Robin lassoed the green beast's neck and pulled. "I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS!" He wrestled with the rope in his grasp. The large beast took a hold of the line and swung the teen across the room. He crashed into a few tables and chairs. _

_He spit up some blood and stood, assessing the situation. Starfire rolled on the floor behind him, half laughing, half crying. He took her hand and lifted her behind him. "Stay behind me, Beast Boy's out of control and it's dangerous. I'm here Star...I'm here..." He choked. _

_She stood and wrapped her trembling arms around his waist. _

_He whipped out his bow staff and took the defensive. The Beast, Joker, and Scarecrow were coming towards him. _

_"Bat-..!" He stopped his sentence as his friend started coming towards him as well. "What are you doing?! Batman!"_

_The Dark Knight smirked and removed his cowl and the makeup that covered half of his face. Harvey Dent looked back at him with a wicked grin. _

_"No way..." He whimpered._

_A ripping sound erupted and he turned his attention to The Beast. His face and skin were breaking, and revealing scales. Killer Croc burst from his costume. _

_Robin's breath hitched. "Th-This can't..." A rope-like object wrapped around his neck, and he realized that Starfire wasn't shaking anymore. Her hand trailed up his chest, her fingers dragging against his tunic._

_"I didn't know you could be so protective. It's so cute little birdie..." He yanked the vine from his throat and jumped away from the greened skinned beauty. She gave a pout. "You look so...scared..."_

_On all sides, past villains approached on him. Sheer horror took hold of him. The only one who had been affected by the fear gas was..._

_Him._

_Suddenly, the room went red as images of his past splayed across the wall. He turned quickly between the criminals, each of their faces laughing. More villains joined in on the laughter. Bane, Hush, Raz al Ghul, Penguin...they were all there, laughing at him._

_"Where are my friends!?" He shouted, still trying to be threatening._

_Scarecrow raised his hand and dropped it. In the windows, bodies fell. Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, Batgirl, Alfred, Batman...Each one bloody, battered, and hanging by a noose._

_Dead._

_Robin fell backwards. Only his chattering teeth indicated how he felt. "Wh-who did this?!" His voice cracked. "Was it Slade?!"_

_The laughter just increased. "Little birdie is loosing his touch!"_

_"He can't figure it out!"_

_"He doesn't know!"_

_"And we won't tell him!" _

_Robin released a scream of agony._

Cyborg punched a hole in the wall in anger as he watched Robin thrash in the medical wing. He yelled a word that Starfire had been instructed by Robin never, ever to use.

"This is worse than the time with Slade's mask." Cyborg muttered.

Beast Boy whimpered fearfully, his green eyes staring sadly at his leader and friend.

Starfire felt tears run down her face as she stared down at her true love. Raven suddenly grunted, rubbing her head as though in pain. She had been trying to enter the teen's mind, thinking that she would be able to as she had before.

"It's no use. Whatever this is, it's much stronger than anything I've faced before." She said, worry breaking through her monotone. "I wasn't even able to alter what he was seeing. However, I was able to observe. Apparently, Batman will know what this is. He will be able to help."

"GREAT!" Beast Boy yelled. "Now all we have to do is take one of Cyborg's spotlights, cut out the shape of a bat, put it on top of the tower, and-"

"Or," Cyborg interrupted with an irritated glance at the changeling. "We could just call him."

Beast Boy chuckled nervously. "Oh, right."

The Cyborg went to the monitors as he called the dark hero. Finally, the call went through, a young boy on the screen. "What do you want and how did you get this number?" The boy asked suspiciously. Cyborg sighed in irritation.

"Look, I don't have the time for this. I need to talk to Batman, now."

"Sorry, he's busy. You talk to me or you-"

"What are you doing talking to someone on the monitor?" A dark voice suddenly asked.

The boy suddenly yelped and scurried away, and the Dark Knight's form filled the screen.

He glanced at the screen. "Cyborg, the eldest member of the Teen Titans. What is the problem?"

"It's Robin. He was hit with some gas and has been freaking out ever since."

"Is he screaming or laughing?"

"Screaming." The robot said hesitantly. Why would he be laughing?

"How long has this been happening?"

"An hour or two. We thought it was... something else at first." At first they thought that Robin had been messing with Slade's mask again.

The man's countenance turned ever darker. If that was possible. "I'll be right there."

Cyborg sighed in relief. Suddenly he heard a squeak behind him. He turned to see Beast Boy, complete awe in his eyes. "Dude... That was Batman!"


End file.
